‘Akshardham’ means God’s divine abode. Akshardham Temple or Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple is located on the banks of River Yamuna near Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi at a distance of 10 km from New Delhi Railway Station. It is praised for being an eternal haven of devotion, purity, and peace. Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi is a Mandir – a Hindu house of worship as well as a spiritual and cultural campus dedicated to devotion, learning, and harmony.

Its art and architecture reflect timeless Hindu spiritual messages, vibrant devotional traditions, and ancient architecture. The mandir is a humble tribute to Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830), one of Hinduism’s avatars, devas, and great sages. The complex was dedicated on November 6, 2005, with the blessings of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the tireless efforts of skilled artisans and volunteers.

Spiritual Significance of Akshardham Temple

The Mandir, the Exhibitions, and even the Gardens all resonate with spirituality. The Akshardham mandir contains over two hundred murtis, each representing a spiritual stalwart from many millennia. Akshardham’s spiritual premise is that every soul has the potential to be divine. Whether we serve our families, our countries, our neighbours, or all living beings on the planet, each service can help us move closer to divinity. Each prayer is a call to better oneself and grow closer to God.

A spiritually uplifting experience awaits visitors to Akshardham. Each element has a spiritual significance, whether it is realising the power of prayer, feeling the strength of nonviolence, being aware of the universal nature of Hinduism’s ancient principles, or simply admiring the beauty of God’s abode on Earth.

History of Akshardham Temple

Pramukh Swami Maharaj officially opened the temple on November 6, 2005, in the presence of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Manmohan Singh, L.K Advani, and B.L Joshi. The temple in the complex’s centre was built in accordance with Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra.

The grand structure took nearly 5 years to build and was dedicated on November 6, 2005. Created completely in sandstone and marble, the entire construction of the temple took more than 8,000 workers and 300,000,000 hours. Today, the imposing structure stands on the banks of the Yamuna River, attracting millions of tourists and pilgrims from all over the world.

The architecture of Akshardham Temple

The Akshardham Mandir is the main attraction of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex. It stands 141 feet tall, 316 feet wide, and 356 feet long. It is intricately carved with flora and fauna, as well as dancers, musicians, and deities.

BAPS Swamis and Virendra Trivedi, a Sompura family member, designed the Akshardham Mandir. It is made entirely of Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble. It does not use ferrous metal in accordance with traditional Hindu architectural guidelines (Shilpa shastras) on the maximum temple life span. As a result, it is not supported by steel or concrete.

There are also 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murtis of swamis, devotees, and acharyas in the mandir. The Gajendra Pith, a plinth honouring the elephant for its significance in Hindu culture and Indian history, is also located at the mandir’s base. It houses 148 life-sized elephants weighing a total of 3000 tonnes.

The 11-foot-high murti of Swaminarayan seated in abhayamudra, to whom the temple is dedicated, is housed beneath the temple’s central dome. Swaminarayan is surrounded by images of the faith’s Gurus, who are depicted in either a devotional or a service posture. According to Hindu tradition, each murti is made of paanch dhaatu or five metals. The temple also houses the murtis of Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan.

Facts about Akshardham Temple

• Akshardham Temple, also known as Swaminarayan Temple, is located on the banks of the Yamuna River near Nizamuddin Bridge in Delhi, about 10 kilometres from New Delhi Railway Station.
• The temple has been named one of the Seven Wonders of the Twenty-First Century by the prestigious Reader’s Digest magazine.
• It is one of the best-built temples in India and one of the must-see tourist attractions in Delhi. It was also named the world’s largest Hindu temple in the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book.
• The complex was planned by Yogiji Maharaj in 1968, the spiritual head of the BAPS at that time.
• In 1971, Yogiji Maharaj died. In 1982, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the successor of Yogiji Maharaj as the spiritual head of BAPS, started working towards fulfilling the dream of his guru and encouraged his devotees to look into the possibility of building the complex in Delhi.
• The main monument at the centre of the complex is built according to vastu shastra and pancharatra shastra. The monument is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and 370 feet long and is covered top to bottom with engraved details of flora, fauna, dancers, and deities.
• After sunset, a 24-minute hi-tech laser show called “Sahaj Anand” entertains the audience. The ancient story based on the Kena Upanishad is depicted using lasers, music, lights, projections, water, and live actors.
• There is also the Abhishek Mandap where visitors can participate in a series of spiritual events. From narrating a holy Sanskrit Shlok to bathing the Neelkanth Varni idol, the entire mandapa provides a more sacred and religious experience to the tourists.
• Apart from the main temple, there are numerous attractions spread across the temple’s 100-acre grounds. There is an art gallery, a musical fountain, and an IMAX theatre where visitors can watch a film based on Swaminarayan’s life.
• The visitors are taken to the theatre via a 12-minute indoor boat ride that describes India’s achievements over the years.
• Akshardham also has two massive exhibition halls, one of which hosts a sound and light show depicting the beginning and end of the world as depicted by Hinduism. The World Peace Monument is another major draw in the temple complex.
• Cameras and camera phones are not allowed inside the temple complex.

Things to do at Akshardham:

• The Multimedia Water Show – Every day in the evening, the Akshardham complex hosts a water show. The show depicts Kena Upanishad’s teachings. The show incorporates a variety of lasers, videos, projections, underwater flames, and water jets, followed by a piece of melodious music, making it an absolute crowd-pleaser.
• Exhibitors – Visitors can also spend a couple of hours enjoying Akshardham’s Exhibitions. Their exhibitions are divided into three halls: Hall of Values, Neelkanth Darshan – Large Format Film, and Sanskruti Darshan – Cultural Boat Ride. Each hall teaches visitors about a different aspect of ancient India.
• Thematic Garden – Two of the best and most meticulously maintained thematic gardens can be found in the fascinating Akshardham Garden. The gardens were created to help visitors relax, unwind, and learn about the history of the country.
• Pray – The mesmerising temple of Akshardham is the ideal location for quiet and peaceful prayer. Visitors and devotees can also participate in daily aartis performed in the Mandir between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

How To reach Akshardham Temple

By Air– Indira Gandhi International Airport at a distance of nearly 21 kilometres from Akshardham Temple.

By Train– Hazrat Nizamuddin is approximately 6 kilometres from Akshardham Temple, New Delhi Railway Station is approximately 11 kilometres from Akshardham Temple, and Old Delhi Railway Station is approximately 10 kilometres from Akshardham Temple.

By Road– Delhi has good road connectivity throughout the city. Kashmere Gate and Anand Vihar are the two bus terminals. From here, one can also take city buses to the temple.

By Metro-The nearest metro station to the Swaminarayan Akshardham Delhi is Akshardham Metro Station on the Blue line which is only 350 meters away.

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